pretext
noun
something that is put forward to conceal a true purpose or object; an ostensible reason; excuse.
pretexts
-
pluralof pretext.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
No surprise, the panel agreed with him and concocted pretexts to kill the treatment—for instance, the staff opined that maybe biopsies had zapped the tumors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
He is facing his own criminal probe related to cost overruns during renovations of Fed properties - concerns he has called "pretexts".
From BBC ● Jan. 21, 2026
He dismissed the possible threat of indictment over his testimony or the renovation project as "pretexts."
From Barron's ● Jan. 12, 2026
The pretexts are flimsy; due process is absent, and mistakes have already been made.
From Slate ● Apr. 3, 2025
And now the monks were running away on all sorts of pretexts, and he, who was their prior, also was feeling an unexplainable impulse to follow their example.
From The Enemies of Women (Los enemigos de la mujer) by Vicente Blasco Ib??ez
